Top Things to Do in Cartagena, Colombia

I know many of you guys likely followed along on my recent trip to Cartagena, but I wanted to share some of the most memorable highlights with you. The timing of our trip couldn’t have been better—we’re so lucky we still got to proceed with our vacation, as planned, because Cartagena is such a magical city.

I went on a girls’ trip with a group of eight girlfriends, and we stayed in a beautiful Airbnb in the center of the Walled City. The house was spacious enough for a large group and situated perfectly close to all the action, but not too deep in the bustling heart of it all. The house even came with a live-in butler and house manager (Carlos), as well as a chef (Erika) who prepared us breakfast every morning—her fresh corn arepas were like nothing I had previously tasted in the States. Below are some of the photos from our stay!

On our first night, we all went out to Alquimico, which was unanimously the favorite bar among our group. The cocktails, lively rooftop lounge, and incredible energy made it an unforgettable experience and the ideal place for beautiful people watching. It’s the perfect spot to start or end your night—or you could spend your entire night out there too, like we did! I have minimal photos from Alquimico because we were too busy dancing (and chugging back a tequila shot or two), but below is our obligatory bathroom selfie.

Alquimico

Bathroom selfie with the ladies <3

On our second day, we spent most of our afternoon walking around the beautiful Walled City. When I say that every single street was picturesque, I really mean that. EVERY. SINGLE. STREET. WAS. SO. INSTAGRAMMABLE. It felt so invigorating to walk the streets in sunny, warm weather, and it truly felt like such an escape from everything that had been giving me anxiety and stress back at home.

We also stopped in at Cafe San Alberto, home to Cartagena’s most award-winning coffee. We tasted a variety of different tasty, unique coffee drinks brewed by our amazing barista, Giuseppe. It was such a fun way to get caffeinated and kick off our day sightseeing!

Here are some photos from our afternoon strolling through the city on our second day. Stunning, right?

We also spent the day drinking and enjoying the scene at Townhouse Boutique Hotel & Rooftop. This was the perfect spot to get comfortable and sip on fruity frozen cocktails. The rooftop bar even featured a live DJ and a small pool for guests to dip their feet in! I’d definitely recommend stopping here for some mid-afternoon drinks to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day.

For dinner on night two, we went to Alma, which was situated inside of the beautiful and luxe Hotel Casa San Augustin. I don’t have any photos of the food, unfortunately, but the interiors were airy and oh so chic. We all shared a variety of appetizers for the table, including fried lobster empanadas, salmon/tuna tartare and charred octopus. For my main, I had to try the fresh fish of the day accompanied by some coconut rice. I was never a big fan of coconut, but let me tell ya the coconut rice in Colombia will change your life for the better!!!

On day three, we explored the city a bit more and headed to La Cevicheria for a late lunch. The late, great Anthony Bourdain visited this spot on his tour of Colombia, and everything was TO DIE FOR. I might be biased because I love every single type of seafood out there—give me all the salty, briny, fishy, tentacly goodness—but the ceviche we had at La Cevicheria was probably the freshest I’ve ever had in my entire life. The restaurant itself is small yet inviting, and the staff were all so warm and accommodating. We also ordered two types of paellas to share. The classic paella was perfectly delicious and satisfying, but the black squid ink paella was everything I could want in a dish and more!!! This was probably my favorite dining experience of the whole trip, and the 1.5 hour wait was beyond worth it for me.

Later that evening, we got dressed for a night out starting with pre-dinner drinks at El Barón, a moody and intimate cocktail bar in the Walled City. They had an extensive menu full of delicious and inventive cocktails, many of which included mezcal and tequila (my personal favorites). We were lucky enough to grab a spot in the corner to accommodate eight people, but I’d recommend heading here earlier in the evening or with a handful of people to ensure you can comfortably sit back because the space is tight!

After cocktails, we indulged in a phenomenal dinner at Carmen, arguably one of the most well-known restaurants in Cartagena. I loved everything about it—from the interiors, to the attentive service, to the thoughtfully executed menu. Six of my friends took part in the tasting menu, while my friend Kelly and I ordered dishes a la carte off the menu. This was seriously such a memorable meal, not only because of the food, but because we just had such genuine, heartfelt conversations throughout the night. I think one of the best parts about this trip was that I got to travel with both old and new friends alike, and everyone brought such an incredible energy to the table. A girls’ trip really does warm your soul :).

On the last day of our trip, the gals and I had THE MOST EPIC EXPERIENCE on a private boat tour of the surrounding islands. We worked with Boating Cartagena to charter a private boat for the day, and we were blessed with the best captain and crew ever imaginable. The ride was about one hour out, with our first stop being snorkeling. The next step was Isla Baru (AKA LA ISLA DE FIESTAS), but since we were there on a Monday afternoon it was a relatively tame crew. We obviously brought the party when we arrived though.

Our last stop was at Blue Apple Beach House, which was by far my favorite stop of our entire boating excursion. It was the perfect final stop and the much needed antidote to the hustle of the city. Since we were there on a Monday, it was a relaxed and chill crowd, but I hear that the scene is much rowdier on the weekends. The plunge pool was sparkling clean and the beach house offered panoramic views of the ocean. The Beach House also offers free, unlimited access to hotel guests—this is a great, relaxing option for accommodations for one night if you wish to take a break from the hustle of the city. This place is an absolute must in my book for your next visit to Cartagena.

Okay that’s all for now, friends! Below are some additional photos of the colorful streets, for good measure. I wasn’t kidding when I told you—it’s wild how literally every single street corner is so unbelievably stunning. Hopefully you guys feel inspired to take a trip to this stunning destination when the COVID-19 nightmare is all behind us!